Three's Company: An Alternative To The Two-State Solution

The Arab-Israeli conflict has been ongoing for decades, dating back to even before the UN partition plan in 1947. After the partition, the conflict focused on Palestinian Arabs who were living in the British mandate and the new Israelis. The pathway to peace has always been defined as two-states for two peoples. There was progress made in the early 1990’s during the Oslo Accords and there have been several conferences and summits convened to formulate a peace plan but with little success. This paper identifies existing flaws within Israeli and Palestinian society and explores why the two-state paradigm has stalled. A fresh approach is required which takes into account the societal difference. The realities on the ground in the West Bank and Gaza are stark contrasts of economic progress, government infrastructures and stability of security forces. This contrast hinders peace talks as the two different territories are discussed as one. The security needs for Israel are different on each front therefore the approach must always change. Three states with three viable economies, unique security arrangements and representative governments provides a pathway forward to break the deadlock and rejuvenate the peace process